KELVIN MARSHALL OF EAGLESCLIFFE JAILED FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

In January 2004, Kelvin David Marshall, a 34-year-old former scout master from Eaglescliffe, was sentenced to a one-year prison term after being convicted of downloading child pornography from the Internet. The court heard that Marshall, who was married and had a young daughter, concealed his activities from his family and the community. Evidence presented at Teesside Crown Court revealed that Marshall was downloading images at his home in Eaglescliffe.

Marshall initially denied the allegations but was found guilty last year on 19 charges of making indecent photographs of children. Importantly, none of the images involved children in his scouting activities. Following the allegations, he resigned from his position as scoutmaster of the 1st Eaglescliffe (All Saints) Scout Group, based at All Saints Church on Dunottar Avenue.

During sentencing, Judge Tony Lancaster described a jail term as "inevitable," ordering Marshall to serve 12 months in custody immediately, with an additional 18 months on license. If he re-offends during this period, he could be recalled to complete his sentence. The court also imposed a lifelong ban on working with children and included Marshall on the sex offenders' register for ten years.

The judge highlighted the severity of the images involved, stating that many depicted sexual acts with children at their worst, including sadism and bestiality, labeling the pictures as "disgusting, depraved and grotesque." He further rejected Marshall's claim that the images were downloaded accidentally.

Marshall was described by the court as previously of good character. His defense solicitor, Michael Bosomworth, lamented the impact on Marshall's life, mentioning he had lost his wife, home, and employment. Bosomworth emphasized that there was no evidence of him engaging in paedophilic behavior or posing any threat to children, suggesting his actions were a private violation.

However, police officers called him a "very manipulative man." Detective Constable Denise Smith commented on the case, stating, "I think any person who is interested in watching or looking at pictures and video films of children being sexually abused has paedophile tendencies. I think anyone like that is a risk to children. He has betrayed his position of trust as a scout leader."

Marshall's arrest was part of Operation Ore, a global investigation into Internet child pornography. During a meticulous eight-hour search of his four-bedroom home in October 2002, police discovered over 1,000 indecent images stored on his computer. Further investigation revealed he used his Visa card to purchase images from a website called Landslide, based in Fort Worth, Texas, which was later shut down by American authorities.

Marshall maintained his innocence, claiming he had no interest in child porn or bestiality. Nonetheless, the trial and subsequent sentencing underscored the serious nature of his offenses. Following the conviction, concerned parents of children involved in the Scout Group's cub and beaver sections expressed their distress, with one mother stating, "It is a parent's worst nightmare that you trust people and they do something like this."